Seoul's First 'Overnight Emergency Childcare Center'
"A Total of 32 Care Services Provided, Consultations Steadily Increasing"
Childcare Fees Only 1/15 of Private Sector... A New Care Model
The scene of the Yangcheon-type Overnight Emergency Care Daycare Collaboration Proclamation Ceremony last March. Provided by Yangcheon-gu.
# Jeong Mo (39), a pansori singer raising a 7-year-old child in Mok-dong, used to struggle to find friends nearby to take care of her child on days when she had local performances. However, after using the ‘Yangcheon-style Overnight Emergency Childcare Center,’ she has been able to leave her child with peace of mind even in urgent situations, easing her worries. Jeong said with a smile, “I used it for about 20 hours in total, and the best part is that my child stays happy and comfortable even when separated from the parents.”
Yangcheon-gu, which was the first autonomous district in Seoul to implement the ‘Overnight Emergency Childcare Center’ last year, has resolved childcare gaps in the area about a year and a half after its launch, providing parents with psychological stability akin to ‘childcare insurance.’
This is a specialized childcare service unique to Yangcheon-gu that allows parents in dual-income families, single-parent families, and others facing urgent situations such as business trips, night shifts, accidents, or hospitalizations to confidently leave their children in care during nighttime hours.
Especially amid the serious low birthrate and the so-called ‘childcare refugee’ problem where there are insufficient places to leave children even after birth, the system established by Yangcheon-gu is recognized as a pioneering model of new childcare. It ensures that no childcare blind spots occur even in emergencies, providing a reliable foundation for parents to entrust their children anytime.
This service ranked 4th in last year’s ‘Top 10 Yangcheon News’ selected directly by residents, receiving great support. A district official explained, “Even if parents do not use it immediately, knowing they can leave their children whenever necessary provides psychological stability. Since its launch, a total of 32 overnight care services (327 hours) have been provided, and consultations have been steadily increasing recently.”
The service operates year-round for infants and young children (aged 12 months to under 6 years) from 7:30 PM to 7:30 AM the next day. Applications can be made on the same day, and each child can use up to 80 hours per month. The childcare fee is 1,000 KRW per hour, significantly reducing the financial burden compared to private childcare helpers who charge 15,000 KRW per hour.
Notably, instead of building a planned overnight care center, a system was established to connect all 86 public and national childcare centers in the district, collaborating with 22 centers capable of nighttime care for a one-stop service.
The district said, “Since it is difficult for all childcare centers to operate at night due to a shortage of dedicated nighttime childcare teachers and staff, we carefully coordinate with nearby centers to ensure children stay in a more comfortable environment. This approach has saved budget compared to the originally planned overnight care center, and residents are highly satisfied as they can use the service close to their homes.”
Additionally, operating institutions were evenly distributed by region to greatly improve accessibility. Previously, overnight care was only available at the 365 Open Childcare Center in Sinjeong-dong operated by Seoul City, but now it operates at a total of 22 locations including 9 in Sinwol-dong, 7 in Mok-dong, and 6 in Sinjeong-dong, allowing parents to use the service more conveniently near their homes.
Children leaving the overnight emergency care daycare center in Yangcheon-gu. Provided by Yangcheon-gu.
Lee Mo (44), who works in education and raises two children (3 and 5 years old) in Sinwol-dong, said, “It was always a big concern to find someone to take care of my children whenever I prepared for business trips, but now I feel relieved as my children receive overnight care in a familiar place. It is very convenient to have them sleep and get ready for school in one place without moving.”
The district expects the Yangcheon-style Overnight Emergency Childcare service to also contribute to solving the issue of women’s career discontinuity. It can serve as an institutional measure to break the vicious cycle where dual-income families have no place to leave their children in the evening, leading to quitting jobs and career breaks.
District Mayor Lee Gijae said, “As the low birthrate issue has reached a national extinction crisis level, childcare has become an important administrative responsibility. I am pleased to provide reliable childcare services to residents in urgent need, and we will continue to do our best to create a child-friendly Yangcheon by establishing a safe childcare environment and providing high-quality childcare services.”
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